How to Do Home Jewelry Parties

For me, private home jewelry parties or shows have been much more lucrative than my online sales.

Pink Peruvian opal earrings by Albina Rose.

I get a much better return on my investment of time, effort and money.

Getting a large lump sum of sales and money in a few hours at a home party is much more gratifying than my trickle of online sales.

So how to start doing jewelry parties?

Well, you could ask a friend to host one for you.

I was lucky in that one of my friends actually came up with the idea and offered to have one in her home for my first party.

Crocheted wire bracelet with leafy toggle clasp by Albina Rose

Getting Ready for a Home Jewelry Party

For my first home show, I worked like a dog for a month to make sure I had a large enough inventory.

We invited about 25 people. Fifteen attended, and all purchased something. I sold $700 worth for my first home show. I was very excited about that and it’s just gotten better with each one.

Now that I’ve done several parties, there is a very specific routine I follow in preparation.

The invite list is first. The hostess gives me her list of names and addresses, and I prepare and mail out the post card invitations. Doing the mailout two and a half weeks before the party date is just about right. The guests are asked to RSVP to the hostess.

Preparing a Jewelry Party Catalog

Rather than price tagging each item in my inventory, I prepare a “catalog” of my items with a brief description and a picture of each one. I usually fit about 20 per page–5 rows with 4 columns.

Those are printed up on plain paper on my printer and I write a cover sheet telling a little about me and my handcrafted jewelry. I staple the sheets together to make the “catalog”.

If I know there are 25 people coming, I’ll make about 15 catalogs.

Setting Up for the Party

Once I arrive at the hostess’ home about an hour before show time, I set up, using jewelry displays I’ve made myself or purchased.

Make full use of the space and spread out through the available rooms. Have a grouping of jewelry displayed on the dining room table, groupings on the coffee table and end tables. This prevents crowding around one area while everyone is trying to shop.

Make the best use of anything and everything you can. I also leave catalogs in different spots around the rooms.

Earrings in antiqued brass and blue crystals by Albina Rose

Having a wide price range is key. I offer items from $3 to $75. Having the ability to accept credit card payments also helps increase sales.

Then I set up my “checkout” station away from the “shopping areas” (preferably a different room), like at the kitchen table, and let the guests shop with little shopping bags I’ve made available.

This way, they can freely browse without the feeling that I’m hovering and watching them.

Checklist for Jewelry Home Parties

Here’s my checklist:

* postcard invitations

* jewelry displays

* the jewelry catalogs I made

* little shopping bags (to shop with)

* sales receipts (with a sticker of your logo and contact info)

* calculator

* cash box with cash to make change

* pens

* business cards

* bags and packaging (to send items home with customers)

* jewelry tools (I bring some of my tools and a limited amount of supplies in case someone needs a size adjustment, so I can do it right then)

Vintage cameo on a crocheted choker by Albina Rose

Rewarding Hostesses
and
Growing Your Jewelry Party Business

My hostesses receive merchandise of their choice worth 10% of the amount of total sales for the evening. So when I tally up the sales I let them go through and choose their reward(s). If I sell $1000, the hostess gets $100 worth of jewelry.

Make sure you keep all of your mailing lists. You never know when you may want to host an “opening” of your own and invite all those people who have already attended your home parties. I run into people all the time who ask when is my next one.

Don’t worry about making your jewelry home shows “perfect”, especially the first time. If you follow my tips here, you will do just fine. After that, you will tailor your routine with your own ideas to make it “perfect” for you.

And consider having an annual “Holiday Show” in November. That has been my most successful to date.

Good luck and I wish you many successful home jewelry parties!

Author Albina Rose, Albina Rose at Etsy, says, “My business is named after my maternal grandmother, Rose Albina. She started it all for me when she taught me to crochet at the age of 9.”

She adds, “My mom is a seamstress taught me to make my own clothes at age 11. My dad is a master carpenter and I always wanted to be in his shop helping, whenever he was working on something. Today at age 76, he is finishing his third woodstrip canoe. We were actually able to trace one of his first ancestors. His name was Olivier Quesnel, he was a master armorer who emigrated to Montreal, Quebec from St. Milo, France in the mid-1600s. The love of working with my hands is in my blood.”

Handmade mixed media jewelry is Albina Rose’s main passion, but she has also taught herself many other crafts and arts. “It seems I can never get enough,” she says.

Reader Interactions

Comments

I read with interest the “home party” post by Albina Rose. I too prefer home parties to online or craft shows.

However, I do mine in MY home! I’m fortunate to have a home office that doubles as my jewelry display area, so the benefit of not having to pack and unpack has great appeal.

Since I’m also a personal chef, I prepare a light appetizer for guests to enjoy while they shop. All the hostess has to do is address the postcards I give her with my party info already printed on the back.

It has been a wonderful concept for both the hostess and me, so everyone wins. I too extend a hostess gift of 10% of the total sales. A great concept—if you build it, they will come!

Thanks for sharing these wonderful stories, ladies. I have had an idea for awhile and would like some insite on this: I would like to offer customers the option of hosting “self” parties in their homes. I would charge a flat fee for the jewelry, invitations, and instructions on how to host their own jewelry parties and ship it to them. (Like becoming a consultant). This way I don’t have to be available physically and I am paid upfront. Ofcourse, if they have questions, I will be available to ask.

Thank you for this inspirational article. I think I could manage doing a home party after reading your article. Just curious . . . what are you able to sell for $3? I’d love to have something at such a low price point and am looking for simple but beautiful designs I can put together in a snap.

Thanks for a very encouraging article. Last year, my neighbor had a party at her house for me, and I made ~$600 in 3 hours–more than I have made at some shows that cost $250 entry fee! I would love to do more, but don’t know how to ask people to do it. Maybe making up a brochure and mailing it to friends and family would be a good start. If you have any suggestions about that, please let me know.

I’d love to do home parties but have been unsure where to start. I appreciate this guide for us newbies! Like Jane, I an not sure how to find my first host. (With a toddler and two dogs, my house is MUCH too much of a zoo to host at my place.)

Do you bring food? Suggest your host provide food? Is there wine/alcohol? Or do you leave that entirely up to your host and not bring it up?

How much time do you schedule for the party itself? An hour or two? More?

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Information and opinions contained in Jewelry Making Journal's pages and/or posted guest articles are for general information purposes and should not be used as a substitute for professional legal, financial or medical advice.